


Play Date

by bluesyone



Category: Onward (2020)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:02:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28031352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluesyone/pseuds/bluesyone
Summary: Ian dresses up and does girly things with his little sister Judy, but wants to keep it secret because he’s afraid of what would happen if someone found out.  So of course the inevitable happens when Judy invites a friend over for a play date.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	Play Date

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write a story about Ian dealing with Judy bringing a friend over for a play date, but I didn’t know how to end it. I saw some stuff by @tepiski on tumblr and I figured something out. So, thanks!

Barley skidded his van to a stop outside of New Mushroomton Elementary School, excited more than ever to pick up little Judy. Judy has been telling Barley all week about her new friend she made at school, a faun named Saria. After talking to Laurel and Colt, and convincing Saria’s parents, Barley and Judy got a play date set for that afternoon. Shortly after the bell rang, Judy raced up to the van and hopped inside as soon as Barley opened the side door to the back.

“Where’s your friend?” Barley asked.

“She’s right behind you,” Judy replied.

Barley turned and looked down at a little faun girl. The faun had the bottom half of a sheep, and short curly black hair to match her curly black wool. She wore a sherbet orange hoodie and wire frame glasses. She had a friendly smile, but looked a little shy. “Judy?” she called out.

Judy waved. “Right here, Saria! I told you my brother’s van was cool!”

Saria perked up a bit when she realized she was at the right van. “Oh, good. “ She then looked up at Barley, and kind of grew sheepish again when noticing the size of him.

Barley just smiled. “Don’t be scared, milady,” he introduced himself in his boisterous acting tone. “Tis I, Barley of Lightfoot, and my mighty steed, Guinevere the Second!”

Saria laughed as she climbed into the back of the van, with Barley’s help. “You’re right, Judy, your brother is funny,” Saria commented, settling into the back of the van with her elftaur friend.

Barley chuckled as he closed the door and hopped into the driver’s seat. The ride home was short, thanks in part to Barley’s partly reckless driving. Barley asked a few questions to get to know Saria. Her favorite color is orange, her favorite school subject is reading, she likes ice cream, flowers and, of course, Pretty Pretty Centaurs. Barley was also sure to ask if they have homework, but decided they didn’t have to start on it right away since it’s the weekend. Besides, he didn’t like math either.

Guinevere the Second pulled into the driveway, and Judy hopped out the second Barley opened the side door. Judy saw they parked right next to an old red sedan and immediately squealed with delight. “Ian’s home!” she cheered as she raced up to the front walk.

Saria looked up at Barley as she followed him up to the door. “Who’s Ian?”

“Judy didn’t tell you?” Barley asked. “Judy has another brother.”

“Oh,” Saria replied. “Sorry, I forgot his name.”

Barley smiled, seeing Saria growing sheepish again. “You’re gonna like Ian.”

Judy burst into the front door and immediately started looking for Ian. The college elf Ian was sitting at the dining room table, going over his chemistry notes and textbook while sipping a fresh cup of coffee. “Ian!” Judy slammed herself into a side hug, almost knocking Ian out of his chair as he made a mess over his notes with his highlighter.

“Oh! Judy.” Ian chuckled to himself as he stood up to fix his notes and some toppled pieces of Barley’s role playing game occupying the rest of the table.

“Are you home for the weekend?” Judy asked after letting go of her hug.

“Uh, yeah?” Ian replied, not sure how else to respond to that. He’s here, and college is about an hour away. It’s obvious he’s staying over for the weekend. But Judy’s just a kid.

“Yo, Iandore!” Barley called out as he strolled into the dining room.

“Hey, Barley.” Ian looked down at the little faun girl hiding a little behind Barley’s leg. “And who’s this little girl?” he asked with a friendly smile.

“This is Saria,” Judy introduced. “She’s my friend from school. She’s here for a play date.”

“Is that so?” Ian saw the shyness of Saria, but noticed her trying to overcome it by stepping out from behind Barley. Still, her face showed how unsure she was of this new person. Being nice, Ian simply held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Ian.”

Saria smiled, then took his hand with a gentle handshake. “I’m Saria.”

“Good to meet you,” Ian replied. “I like your name.”

Judy’s excited smile turned to a disappointed frown as she saw Ian sit back down and return to his studies. “Oh. You don’t have time to play, do you?” she pouted.

“Judy,” Barley tried to warn her.

“No, it’s okay,” Ian replied, reaching for his coffee mug. “Just give me a few minutes, I can take a break to play.” Ian took a sip of coffee, now knowing he’s gonna need the caffeine for both a play date and a study session.

Judy leaped with joy. “Great! Saria can meet Iandelle!”

Ian immediately spat out his coffee all over Barley’s board game. Barley held out his arm, trying to stop much of the sprayed coffee and spit from getting on the figurines.

Saria looked curious. “Who’s Iandelle?”

“I, uh… uhh…” Ian quickly turned to stuttering and sweating before he finally gave up and quickly exited to his and Barley’s bedroom down the hall.

A short pause passed before Saria innocently pointed out, “Ian forgot his books.”

\---

“Ian?” Barley opened the bedroom door just far enough so he could peer in, before stepping inside. He looked across the room at Ian sitting on his bed, his back facing towards Barley, hunched over and clinging to his sides so tightly it left folds in his Willowdale College hoodie. Barley closed the door behind him and started making his way across the room. “Ian?”

Ian looked over his shoulder. “Oh, hey.” He turned back for a second, before looking back again. “Where’s Judy and…?”

“Saria?” Barley asked.

“Yeah,” Ian replied.

“They’re playing in Judy’s room,” Barley replied, pointing upstairs. Barley made his way to Ian’s bed and sat down beside him. Ian scooted away a bit, he hunched back over, squeezed his sides, his leg shaking with stress and his skin pale and clammy. Ian obviously knew why Barley was here, and it wasn’t making the situation any better. Barley waited a minute, before finally breaking the tension with a, “Soo…”

“I can’t dress up like ‘Iandelle,’” Ian replied, defeated but firmly.

“Why not?” Barley asked. “You’ve dressed up plenty of times.”

“Just for Judy,” Ian stressed, standing up from the bed. He turned to Barley, wide eyed in panic. “I can’t do it for… I mean… I…”

Barley just sat there, waiting for Ian to get it all out. It’s not like Ian had a choice. He was between his bed, with Barley sitting on it, and his closet, where he hides those few dresses that he wears when he plays with Judy so she can have someone to do ‘girly things’ with. He felt trapped. It was causing him to breathe shallowly before he finally released it, ranting to Barley. “How am I going to deal with Saria when she goes home to her parents? What if she tells of Judy’s big brother who likes to spend time in a dress? That he likes to spend time with his little sister in lace and stockings, and playing with princess dolls, and having tea parties, and getting their hair and nails done?”

“You guys paint your nails?” Barley asked.

Ian paused, before nervously shoving his hands under his arms. “N-No?”

Barley raised an eyebrow at Ian.

“I… I take it off before I go back to college, okay?” Ian leaned back against the closet door and slid down to sitting, his knees bent and feet on the floor, so the legs of his jeans rode up and revealed some of the white stockings he was wearing under his jeans and sneakers. “What if Saria’s parents start telling others about me? What if those people tell those people? What if word gets back to the school? What if word gets back to college?”

“You haven’t met any transgender people at college?” Barley asked curiously.

“…. One.” Ian admitted. “I think. I don’t know, but… there’s this one guy cyclops, and… I think he might- I mean, he may have been assigned female at birth… I may be wrong. And maybe I am wrong, and he really is a guy. I…” Ian closed his eyes tight and grit his teeth, growing frustrated with this argument.

“… Okay.” Barley replied.

Ian opened his eyes. “What?”

“Okay.” Barley stood up from the bed. “You made your point.”

Ian watched as Barley stood and walked back to the door. He looked down, defeated and mad at himself. “I know Judy loves playing with ‘Iandelle.’”

Barley looked over his shoulder, and gave a comforting smile. “I know.” With that, Barley walked out of the door, closing it behind him.

\---

A week passed, and Ian was on his way home from college for the weekend. He usually visited when he didn’t have much homework to do, and he had a lot of homework to do. But he couldn’t help it. He felt bad for how he ended it with Barley, with Judy. And it was a bad first impression with Saria. He didn’t know how he was going to handle it if Judy asked for Iandelle again, but he just had to go home.

Ian pulled into the driveway beside Guinevere the Second. He took out his bookbag, his suitcase, and his laundry bag full of dirty clothes. He went inside, but surprisingly, it was quiet in the house. “Hello?” he called out. No response. He was curious, but he thought he’d get started on his homework while he had free time. Ian started a pot of coffee and let it brew as he put his suitcase and bookbag in his bedroom and tossed his load of laundry into the washer. He returned to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee for his studies.

As Ian made his way to the bedroom, he thought he heard laughter in the backyard. It made him pause for a moment, then curious when he heard the laughter was two little girls and Barley. He knew there was nothing unusual about that, but he thought he’d at least check in on them before he closed himself off in his bedroom.

Ian approached the sliding glass window and took a look outside. Their backyard had an in ground pool, currently tarped over for the fall, a small playset complete with a slide and swing, and a big oak tree in the corner. Saria was climbing the tree, jostling the branches so more leaves could fall, and Judy was racing through the yard, laughing as her hooves kicked up the leaves as she ran through the small piles of them scattered around the yard. Barley was chasing after Judy, trying to keep up with her newfound speed beginning to grow on her. Judy was dressed in a Princess Kenna tunic, and Barley was dressed in his usual warrior outfit… and a brown skirt. A skirt that was far too short for him, so he had to wear his cargo shorts underneath, but that’s clearly a brown miniskirt!

Ian couldn’t help but smile. Judy was having the time of her life, Saria was having fun, and Barley did look a little silly with his big body in such a tiny, wide skirt, but Barley looked like he didn’t care. Barley used all of his energy to catch up to Judy, tackle her and drag her into a pile of leaves with a big flurry of autumn colors flying into the air around them. Ian gave a laugh before leaving the scene, going back to his room.

Hours passed with Ian secluded in his room, at his desk, between writing an essay and looking up collegiate sources online for said essay. Just as he was two pages and a cup of coffee in, Ian’s focus was distracted a bit by laughter in the house, then again a half hour later as Barley entered the bedroom.

“See ya later, Saria! Goodbye, Mrs. Morrow!” Barley closed the door behind him as he saw Ian at his desk. “Hey! You’re home!”  
“Yeah, and I’m kinda busy here,” he said, motioning to his computer, “so…”

“Oh, got it.” Barley threw himself on his bed, picked a random Quests of Yore book off his nightstand and began reading.

Ian went back to work, but not before looking back at Barley, legs casually crossed while still in that miniskirt. “You know, you didn’t have to do that.”

“I know,” Barley replied, not looking up from his book.

Ian shook his head with a smile before going back to work.

\---

A few weeks passed, with Saria visiting the Lightfoot house three times for a play date. Ian wasn’t home, but Barley was, and dressed in his mini skirt at least twice for the occasion. Laurel came home early the second time, and shared a laugh with Barley when she realized what was happening. After that, Barley began to dress up in his mini skirt just for Judy once in a while.

One Friday afternoon, Saria was dropped off at the Lightfoot house for a play date, and she and Judy waited at the brothers’ bedroom door for Barley to get dressed. “Come on, Barley!” Judy pouted.

“Just a minute!” Barley shouted from the other side of the door. A moment passed before Barley came out, in a bold display, donning his warrior garb and mini skirt. The girls cheered, but Barley held out his hand to shush them. “Ah ah ah, we have one more joining us…” Barley stepped aside.

A hesitant moment passed before Ian stepped shyly out of their bedroom, wearing his white princess dress with pink lace and frills. His head was lowered a bit, but a smile formed over his blushing blue face when Judy hugged him tight. “Iandelle!”

Saria looked up at Ian in complete confusion. “You’re Iandelle?”

“…. uh…. yes?” Ian muttered.

Saria smiled. “I like your dress.”

“Uh, thanks,” Ian replied, a little more audibly, but still sheepish.

“Let’s play makeover!” Judy chimed.

Barley replied, “Uh, Saria’s mom says no makeup. How about tea party?”

Saria gasped. “With real cookies?”

“Mom?” Barley called out.

“Two cookies per tea party guest,” Laurel called back from the kitchen.

The girls jumped up and down and cheered, while the boys tried to calm them down. “Okay, you girls go upstairs and set the table. We’ll get the cookies,” Ian said. The girls ran upstairs, squealing excitedly, as the boys in dresses made their way to the kitchen.

“Nice of you to join us, Princess Iandelle,” Barley told Ian.

Ian smiled to his brother. “Why thank you… Barlia.”

“That’s Lady Barlia,” Barley declared as he grabbed Ian and held him down for a noogie.

Ian struggled as he protested, “Watch the dress!”

**Author's Note:**

> Made some corrections as some nice person on tumblr pointed out I used incorrect wordings in some places. Like Ian, I'm still learning, my apologies.


End file.
